James Nichols
Joining the New Jersey Devils in Newark for training camp this week will be former San Jose Sharks forward, Kevin Labanc. The 28-year-old forward is attempting to revive his career after he struggled to deliver on a four-year contract that he signed in San Jose in 2020.
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General manager Tom Fitzgerald made sure to add as much depth as possible to the Devils in areas of weakness this summer. After prioritizing the goaltending and blue line, there’s an argument to be made that the forward group could become thin rather quickly if injuries occur.
Thus, Labanc is signing a professional tryout with the hopes that he will earn a contract by the end of training camp. The Devils are hoping he earns it, too, in order to add to the forward depth.
New Jersey Hockey Now reached out to one of Labanc’s trainers, as well as a reporter who watched the former Shark on a nightly basis over the last four years. Here’s what the Devils can expect from Labanc.
With a hope and a prayer, the Devils will not run into the same injury luck they did in 2023-24.
We’re already not off to a great start as Luke Hughes is shelved until about early November, but the Devils’ brass can hope it doesn’t get much worse.
Regardless, the Devils as currently constructed are a high-skill, high-speed team that specializes in scoring on the rush. They have a plethora of elite forward such as Jack Hughes, Jesper Bratt, or Labanc’s former teammate Timo Meier.
While speaking with San Jose Hockey Now‘s Sheng Peng, he explained that Labanc can hack it, rounding out a line made up of two high-skilled forwards. His problem might just be doing it on a nightly basis.
“Kevin has produced as a complementary player for long stints in recent years with Logan Couture and Evander Kane in 2020-21 and Timo Meier and Tomas Hertl in 2022-23,” Peng explained. “The pass-first playmaker has struggled with consistency over the years, though, hence ending up in the doghouses of the last two Sharks head coaches.”
Certainly, it’s not Labanc’s confidence that hinders his consistency. He confirmed that notion last season after he only registered two goals and nine points in 47 games.
“I still have a lot of confidence,” Labanc explained to San Jose Hockey Now last season. “For me, however many minutes you play, you try to do what you can with the puck. Just work hard, throw the body, and do everything you can to try and get this team [going].”
Labanc was carrying the right attitude then. The hope is that confidence remains within him. Although he’s slowly declined his production on the scoresheet since his breakout 2018-19 performance, it’s not like he just forgot how to play hockey.
Perhaps his downward trajectory aligned with the trajectory of San Jose as an organization. They were, in fact, dead last in the NHL last season, after all.
Inking Labanc to a PTO is a low-risk, high-reward scenario. Labanc has proven he’s capable of being elevated, such as he did in 2018-19 playing alongside Joe Thornton — his most common linemate that season.
So what’s to be expected of Labanc if he formulates some chemistry with a high-skill Devils team?
According to Tony Samms, one of Labanc’s on-ice trainers, the forwards biggest strengths is his passing which grants him above average playmaking ability, a strong deceptive shot (he uses a longer than normal stick for a skill forward), tenacity on the forecheck, and — of course — his passion for hockey.
And although Samms listed one of Labanc’s weaknesses as his size, he made sure to point out that Labanc’s 5-foot-11, 185 lb frame doesn’t hinder his ability as a forechecker.
Samms did explain, however, that Labanc could stand to be a bit better defensively.
Admittedly, with so much talent on the Devils’ roster, Labanc is unlikely to see top-six minutes in New Jersey. Especially because he’s only coming to Newark on a PTO. If Labanc does win a job, it will almost certainly be for a bottom-six forechecking position.
And although even the bottom-six of the forward group appears quite full, Labanc could force his way onto the roster with a strong showing.
The Staten Island native should be highly motivated to earn a contract, not only for the obvious purpose of securing a job, but also to be able to play so close to home.
The Devils’ training camp should be enticing as soon as the veterans hit the ice this Wednesday, and Labanc is undoubtedly one to keep an eye on.
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